Currently, surgeons use their gloved fingers to perform a blunt dissection to form a tissue pocket for receiving an implantable device. After the tissue pocket is formed, the surgeon typically packs the tissue pocket with gauze to help achieve hemostasis prior to inserting the implantable device. It is also common to irrigate the tissue pocket with an antimicrobial solution. After hemostasis is achieved, the gauze is removed from the tissue pocket and the implantable device is inserted.
Friction caused by the rough texture of the surgeons gloves tends to traumatize the tissue surrounding the tissue pocket. Conventional gauze used to achieve hemostasis tends to adhere to the tissue surrounding the tissue pocket. Consequently, hemostasis can be compromised by removing the gauze from the tissue pocket prior to insertion of the implantable device. Finally, the current three-step process is time consuming during the critical implantation phase.